Acetylene generating device



May 24, 1932.. R. A. BOLEY ACETYLENE GENERATING DEVICE Filed Sept. 12, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 (I III! II ll I INVENTOR: BY I 1 A TTORNE Y5.

May 24, 1932- R. A. BOLEY ACETYLENE GENERATING DEVICE Filed Sept. 12, 1928 2 Shets-Sheet 2 1 VENTOR: 2

I ATTORNEYS.

Patented May 24, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BOY A. BOLEY, OF KENMORE, NEW YORK, ASSIG NOR 'IO OXWELD .AOETYLENE COMPANY,

1 .A-CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA ACETYLENE eramnn'rme DEVICE Application filed September 12, 1928. Serial No. 805,537.

My invention relates to acetylene generators and particularly to pressure actuated feed regulating means adapted to control the carbide feeding means. My inventlon has for one of its objects the production of means for adjusting the pressure at which the feed means is startedand stopped, and foranother of its objects the provision of a friction stop upon the feeding means and an auxiliary pos- 'itive stop for preventing excess generation.

In the operation of medium pressure acetylene generators, it has been found convenient to feed the carbide to water in a receptacle in small quantities according-to the need for gas, and to control the rate of feed by a galsvipressure responsive devlce.

' y invention provides a new anduseful feeding and regulating device by WhlCll the carbide is fed in small quantities from a storage hopper into water, and by which the feed is stopped and started in response to small variations in pressure above and below a desired average value.

My invention provides means for adjusta positive stop device to prevent the generation of an excessive pressure.

/Other objects, and the structural details of my invention will be apparent from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein;

Figure 1 is an assembly view, partly in sec- 7 tion, of an acetylene generator equipped with the feed regulating device of my invention.

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic representation of a simple embodiment of the feed regulat-- ing device of my invention, and

Figure 3 is a representation of a preferred embodiment of the device of my invention showing a positive stop member.

In my invention I provide a container 1 of the usual type, equipped with a drain 2, stirring device 3, and gas outlet pipe 4. The generator desirably includes a carbide storage hopper 5 having a feed cone 6 attached to a feed rod 7 which is actuated by a motor 8.

The motor may be of the spring actuated, or weight actuated, type. A pressure responsive regulator device 9 is provided'and connected to the gas chamber in the container 1.

ing the generator average pressure value, and

phragm 19 is clamped between themembers l7 and 14. A vent pipe 20 is provided from the space between the diaphragms 16 and 19 for the discharge of gas in the event of injury to the diaphragm 16. A hearing plate and guide member 21 is positioned above the dis, phragm 16, and adapted to cooperate with the diaphragm 19. A spindle 22 cooperates with the member 21, and a pressure spring 23,

around the spindle-22,'within the case member 17, presses the diaphragm 16 downward against pressure thereunder from gas in the container 1. A bracket member 24 is attached to the case member 17, or other convenient location, and a lever member 25 is pivoted upon the bracket member 24, with one end connected to the spindle 22. A spring adjusting nut 26 is positioned around the spindle 22 and threaded into the upper end of the case member 17 forming the abutment for the spring 23.

The motor device 8 comprises bearing plates 26 and 27, between which is positioned a spring 28, or if desired, a cable drum, adapted to cooperate with a cable and weight,

.mounted upon a shaft 29, having a winding ratchet (not shown) A train of gears 32 are provided, the second of which is attached to the feed shaft 7 and the last of which includes a centrifugal governor device 34 and friction disk 35. A brake lever bar 36 is provided, pivoted upon a standard 37, and equipped with a. brake shoe 38, adapted to cooperate with the friction disk 35. Aweight 39 is positioned-upon the lever 36, and serves to apply suflicient braking pressure to stop the rotation of the disk 35. The lever 25 is adapted to cooperate with the brake member 109 system. It is desirably positioned adjacent to and slightly below the weight 39, to which an eccentric cam member 41 is attached by a screw 42 or other convenient attaching means.

The cam 41 is adapted to cooperatewith the lever 24 to lift the weight 39, and the lever 36 upward, thereby carrying with it the brake shoe 38 and allowingthe disk 35 to rotate,

when the pressure under the diaphragm 16 is less than the desired regulated ressure.

In the operation of thls embo iment of my device, the pressure of the spring 23' forces the diaphragm 16 downward, liftmg the tail of the lever 25 and with it the weight 39 and R5 brake shoe 38 from the friction disk 35, thereby freeing it for rotation. The rotation of the motor feeds carbide from the storage ho per'5 into thewater in the container 1 and generates gas, which builds up a pressure in the container, and under the diahragm 16, until a sufiiciently high pressure 1s reached to overcome the spring 23, raising the spindle 22 and lowering the tail of the lever 25. This allows the weight 39, to fall, 25 forcing the brake shoe 38 against the 'disk 35 and stopping the rotation thereof, and the feed of calcium carbide, until the pressure falls from use of gas. The pressureat which the gas is generated may be adjusted by movement of the cam 41,

to change the position to which the diaphragm 16 and the spindle 22 must be raised to drop the brake system sufiiciently to stop the rotation of the disk 35. A rotation of the cam 41 to increase the distance between the weight 39 and lever 25 increases the generation pressure, while a movement of the cam to re uce the distance, reduces the pressure. A preferred embodiment of the device of my invention is shown in Figure 3 in which a regulator 9 similar to the regulator shown in Figure 2 is utilized, with similar members including a bracket 43 corresponding to the bracket 24 of Figure 2. A spindle 44 having the upper end threaded corresponds to the spindle 22 of Figure 2. Upon the spindle 44 is positioned a nut 45 having an annular channel around it at the mid-point of the length. A lever 46 is pivoted in the bracket 43 and has a forked end47 cooperating with the channel in the nut 45. A pinned collar 48 is provided upon the spindle 44 below the nut 45 to prevent the nut 45 from beingscrewed down an undue distance. The motor 8, in-

cluding the' friction disk 35, standard 37,

brake lever 36 and weight 39, is provided as in the embodiment shown in Figure 2. The weight 39 is provided 'witha fixed pin 49 adapted to cooperate with the tail of. the lever 46 whereby the weight 39 and the brake system are raised to free the disk 35 for rotation and the feedin of carbide. An auxil iary arm 51 is attac ed to the lever 46, and adapted to cooperate with a gear or ratchet member 52 mounted upon the shaft carrying the friction disk 35.

The operation of the preferred embodiment of my invention as shown in Figure 3 is, in general, similar to the operation of the embodiment disclosed in Figure 2; except that the adjustment for difierent generation pressures is made in a different manner. The pressure adjustment may be made by a'movement of the nut 45 upon the spindle 44, a downward movement of the nut acting to increase the. generation pressure, and an upward movement acting to reduce the generation pressure.

The embodiment of Figure 3 also provides a safety stop, such that in the event of failure of the brake shoe 38, and in consequence, a feeding of an excess of carbide, the excess pressure generated moves the spindle 44 upward, moving the lever 46 and the auxiliary lever arm 51 to a postion where the arm 51 coacts with the member 52 and causes a positive stoppage of the feeding motor.

The device of my invention thus provides a simple, durable, easily adjustable feed motor and pressure regulating device, which is sim le to construct inex ensive and eas to operate.

While I have shown but a limited number of embodiments of the device of my invention,

it is adapted to still other modifications therefrom without departure from the spirit thereof and I- desire therefore that only such limitations shall be imposed upon the appended claims as are stated therein or required in the prior art.

' I claim as my invention:

1. In an acetylene generating device, having a water container, carbide storage hopper and feeding means, a regulating device comprising a pressure responsive member, a brake lever and brake shoe cooperating with the feeding means, means for the actuation thereof bythe pressure responsive member,

and an adjustment device cooperating therebetween for adjustment of the generation pressure, com rising a threaded nut for changing the li t of the brake shoe member at a given generation pressure.

2. In an acetylene generating system, having a container, water therein, a carbide storage hopper, and means for feeding carbide therefrom'to said water, a feed regulating means comprising a motor connected to said feed device having a train of gears and a power input device, a brake lever and brake shoe device, a means for the application of said brake shoe, means for the release thereof comprising a pressure responsive device including a diaphragm and means for the actuation thereof in response to pressure in said generator chamber and a lever connected thereto for the release of said brake shoe, and means for the positive stoppage of said mo-' ROY BOLEY. 

